Connectors



Oct. 23, 1956 c. A. AQUILLON ET AL 2,763,361

CONNECTORS Filed July 1, 1955 .CharlesArAquillomWest Newton,

CONNECTORS andStatford E. Davis, ,Newtonville, -Mass., assignors-to Arie-Les Switch Cor- .pfiration, Watertown, Mass, "a corporation of Massa- -c usetts Application Julyl, 19'5'5, Serial Flu-519,326

7 Claims. (Cl. 339-211) This invention relates to electrical connecting means and, more particularly, to electrical line connectors for vproviding a quickly and easily attachable, yet permanent, electricaLconnection between two or more electrical'lines or .circuits.

.It is an object of-the invention to provide a connector including a pair of .cooperating .metallic connector ,elevments adapted .to -be interlocked 'to provide an electrical connection between two'current conducting wires, and a pairxof interlocking hollow sleeves of molded plasticinsula'tingmaterialin which said connector elements may bereadily mounted. Thus, stops are provided withinxthe hollow sleeves ,for locking .each of the elements within its sleeve, the sleeves being locked together by .theinterlocking of .the connector elements .to provide a .permanent, insulatedelectrical connection.

It is .a particular feature of .the.inventi,on;that a.nv.el sleeve structure is provided whereby the electrical con- ,nector element maybeinsertedtherein ,in either .of .two

positions. This feature is agreat aid'in.the rapid assemblyof connector elements within their insulating sleeves since,-by the use of the present'invention, it is noglonger necessary to select the proper right-side-up position "for insertion of the. connector element within its sleeve the up-side-down position will do as well. Similarly, the

insulating sleeves with the connector.elements mounted therein may be assembled ineither a rightrside=up or 'up-side-down position.

Further *objectsyand features ofthe present invention will 'be'apparent from the-following description, reference being made 'tothe accompanyingdrawings, wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention.

'5--'5 thereof;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view ofthe structure'o'f'Fig. l'in interlockedposition; and

Fig. 7 is an isometric view of one of :the connector elements .of Fig. '1.

:Referring ito .the drawings, :the I complete electrical line connection of the present invention consists .of fourfelements; at spade connector element generally designated 12, a hollow sleeve, generally designated .14, of molded plastic insulatingmaterial' for housing said .elementlZ,

.a socket connector element generally designated 16, and .a hollow sleeve generally designated 18 of moldedplastic insulating material forhousing said element 116, each of said connectors being positively, although releasably, "retained in its housing, and being adapted for 're'leasably interlocking engagement with the other connector when said connectors and housings together, both to provide an electrical connection between the connectors, and to insulate and protect the: exposed metal of the connectors.

More specifically, the spade connector element 12 is nite rates Patent 2,768,361 :Paten'ted iolet. .23., $1256 .stamped fromaiflat metal --strip preferably with asomewhat ipointed front-end (to the right in Fig. 1) and has apair of abutments 20, 22 extending laterally outwardly from the side edges 21, 23 of said strip :adjacent the rear :end thereof. An outwardly and rearwardlyextending yieldable tang 24 .is provided struck outof said 'strip between "the side .edges 21, 23 adjacent the rear thereof, the struck out .end of saidtang .beingpositionedforwardly (to the right in Figs. 1 and :6) .of the :forward end of abutments 20, 22. Complementary ;locking.depressions 25 are provided .in each =flat. side of element 12 between the side-edges'forward of saidttang. Thexear :endof element 12.is deformed to'provide -.a pairtofinv,tegral U-shaped sections .26, 2'7 .to receiv.e,:.respectively,

'the bared ends and the insulating cover of a wire/28.

The arms of sections 26, 27 are clamped against the bare :end and .insulation, respectively, to .hold the wire :in las- .sembled relation withthe spade connectorelement 12.

A hollow sleeve 14 of insulating :materiaLsuch as molded plastic, is provided for housingsaid spade .connector-element '12, with the latter releasably retained :in said:housing. Thus,.sleeve 14 hasa through passage 30 of r-ectangular cross section, and is provided with an inwardly extending peripheral rib -31 forming a'firstapair of stops 32, .33-on-itsopposite-side walls .for engagement with .the -abutmentsl-20, '22 of said spade connector :element12-to limit forward movement of said clement relative to said sleeve :as it is :inserted into the rearend-..of .said ,passage, .the otherside of said .rib forming a second pair of steps .36, 37 forengagement of one -.-thereof with the-struck ,out;end of said spade connector tangi 24 .to

.limit rear-ward movement .thereof rafter forward movement of said spade connector :element .has movedsaid tang end -past saida-second pairsof. stops 36, .37.. 'The "-particularpstopwthat .is engaged will be .dependent upon whether the spadezconnector .12 beinserted in a rightside-up position. as vshown or an.up=side-down;position ,in

sleeve .14.

When :it :is desired to assemble .thespade memberzl t withinthe sleeve .16, .the-spade. member is :inserted .from the left (Figs. .1.and*6) until abutments .20, I22.engage steps 32, .35. When :that happens, .the .free:end oftang .24 will :snap into engagement withone .ofstops 3.6, $37. -With tang 24 .thuszsnapped intoposition, ,relativemovement of the elements is. prevented. and: the spade. connector 12 will be retained .Within its-,insulatingsleeve .14. When itisxdesired to disassemble the elements, thetang is vmade .free.of the stop 36, 37 with .which .it is engaged by .in- .serting a .tool and lifting .thefree end of :tang..2.4 .out.of engagement with said stop, whereupon thespadeconnecvtor 71.12.0211]. be pulled to the left.

.To cooperate .with spade .connector element .12 to ,pro-

vide an electrical connection, .asocket .connectorelement .16 is provided, said .elementcomprisinga one1piece.memvber. stamped from .sheet metal. The, elementiincludesa .base 40, preferably -with.a.pointed-front end (to .theflleft 42 adjacent the .rear thereof, said tang extending :in :a direction away "from said :flanges .so that sits t free :"EI'IdilS :not positioned on Ith'fiffildfi z-be'tweendhe iflanges. ameterablyga locking detent .4.6 is '-also;-struck:out .of said base between said flanges forward of said tang and extend- 3 ing in the same direction as said flanges, said detent and said flanges cooperating with the side edges and one of said depressions in the spade connector element 12 to lock said connector elements together. Again due to the presence of complementary depressions in the spade connector element, the two elements may be interlocked in the right-side-up position as shown, or in an up-sidedown position.

The end of base 40 is deformed to provide a pair of integral U-shaped sections 47, 48 to receive respectively, the bared ends and insulating cover of a wire 49. The arms of sections 47, 48 are clamped against the bare end and insulation respectively, to hold the wire in assembled relation with the socket member 16. A hollow sleeve 18 of insulating material is provided for socket connector element 16, said sleeve being similar to spade connector element sleeve 14 and having a through passage 50 provided with an inwardly extending rib 53 forming a first pair of stops 51, 52 for engagement with the abutments 43, 44 of said socket connector element to limit forward movement of said element relative to said sleeve, and a second pair of stops 55, 56 for engagement of one thereof with the struck out end of the socket connector tang 45 to limit rearward movement thereof after forward movement of said socket connector element has moved said tang end past said second stops.

To assemble the socket connector element 16 with its sleeve 18, said element is inserted from the right end of the sleeve 18 until the ends of abutments 43, 44 engage one of stops 51, 52. When that happens, the free 'end of tang 45 will snap downwardly into engagement with one of stops 55 or 56 to lock the socket connector element 16 in place within sleeve 18. As before, the assembly may take place with the members in either position. Also, it may be readily disassembled, as explained above with reference to the spade connector element 12 and its sleeve 14.

With each of the connector elements 12, 16 retained in its respective sleeve 14, 18, the electrical line connection of the invention may be assembled by pressing the front ends of said sleeves together to interlock the connector elements, said sleeves being releasably retained with their forward ends adjacent one another by the interlocking of said connector elements. Preferably, the forward ends of one of said hollow sleeves 14 is positioned within the forward end of the other of said sleeves 18, the latter sleeve being provided with a suitable recess 60 to receive the outside of said sleeve 16, such arrangement aiding in providing an insulated housing for the exposed metal connection elements.

The connector elements together with their sleeves may be readily disassembled by pulling them apart by the application of sufficient force to spring detent 46 out of its retaining depression 25.

Thus, it will be seen that the invention provides a novel line connector assembly which fully protects and insulates the exposed metal connector elements, and one in which each assembly operation may take place without regard to the up-side-down or right-side-up position of any of the elements. Various modifications within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. An electrical connection including a spade connector element comprising a flat metal strip having abutment means extending outwardly from said strip and an outwardly extending tang struck out of said strip, a hollow sleeve of insulating material for said spade connector element, said sleeve having a through passage provided with a first stop means for engagement with the abutment means of said spade connector element to limit forward movement of said element relative to said sleeve,

and a second stop means for engagement with the struck out end of said spaced connector tang to limit rearward movement thereof after forward movement of said spade connector element has moved said tang end past said second stop means, a socket connector element comprising a one-piece member of sheet metal having a base with side flanges bent inwardly toward said base to provide spaced connector engaging edges, abutment means extending outwardly from said member and an outwardly extending tang struck out of said base and a hollow sleeve of insulating material for said socket connector element, said sleeve having a through passage provided with a first stop means for engagement with the abutment means of said socket connector element to limit forward movement of said element relative to said sleeve and a second stop means for engagement with the struck out end of said socket connector tang to limit rearward movement thereof after forward movement of said socket connector element has moved said tang end past said second stop means, to provide an insulated housing for the metal connector elements.

2. An electrical connection including a space connector element comprising a flat metal strip having abutment means extending outwardly from said strip, and an outwardly and rearwardly extending tang struck out of said strip between the side edges, a hollow sleeve of insulating material for said spade connector element, said sleeve having a through passage with an inwardly extending peripheral rib means providing a first stop means for engagement with the abutment means of said space connector element to limit forward movement of said element relative to said sleeve, and a second stop means for engagement with the struck out end of said spade connector tang to limit rearward movement thereof after forward movement of said spade connector element has moved said tang end past said second stop means, a socket connector element comprising a one-piece member of sheet metal having a base with side flanges bent inwardly toward said base to provide spade connector engaging edges, abutment means extending outwardly from said flanges and an outwardly and rearwardly extending tang struck out of said base between the flanges and extending in a direction away from said flanges, and a hollow sleeve of insulating material for said socket connector element, said sleeve having a through passage with an inwardly extending peripheral rib means providing a first stop means for engagement with the abutment means of said socket connector element to limit forward movement of said element relative to said sleeve, and a second stop means for engagement with the struck out end of said socket connector tang to limit rearward movement thereof after forward movement of said socket connector element has moved said tang end past said second stop means to provide an insulated housing for the interlocked metal connector elements.

3. An electrical connection including a spade connector element comprising a flat metal strip having abutment means extending outwardly from said strip, an outwardly and rearwardly extending tang struck out of said strip between the side edges, and complementary locking depressions in each flat side thereof between the side edges, a hollow sleeve of insulating material for said spade connector element, said sleeve having a through passage provided with a first pair of stop means for engagement of one thereof with the abutment means of said spade connector element to limit forward movement of said element relative to said sleeve, and a second pair of stop means for engagement of one thereof with the struck out end of said spade connector tang to limit rearward movement thereof after forward movement of said spade connector element has moved said tang end past said second stop means, a socket connector element comprising a one-piece member of sheet metal having a base with side flanges bent inwardly toward said base to provide spade Connector engaging edges, abutment means extending outwardly from said flanges, an outwardly and rearwardly extending tang struck out of said base between the flanges and extending in a direction away from said flanges, and a locking detent struck out of said base between the flanges forward of said tang and extending in the same direction as said flanges, said detent and said flanges cooperating with the side edges and one of said depressions in said spade connector element to lock said connector elements together, a hollow sleeve of insulating material for said socket connector element, said sleeve having a through passage provided with a first pair of stop means for engagement of one thereof with the abutment means of said socket connector element to limit forward movement of said element relative to said sleeve, and a second pair of stop means for engagement of one thereof with the struck out end of said socket connector tang to limit rearward movement thereof after forward movement of said socket connector element has moved said tang end past said second stop means, said sleeves being releasably retained with their forward ends adjacent one another by interlocking of said connector elements to provide an insulated housing for the metal connection elements.

4. An electrical connection including a spade connector element comprising a flat metal strip having a pair of abutments extending outwardly from the side edges of said strip adjacent the rear end thereof, an outwardly and rearwardly extending tang struck out of said strip between the side edges adjacent the rear end thereof and complementary locking depressions in each flat side thereof between the side edges forward of said tang, a hollow sleeve of insulating material for said spade connector element, said sleeve having a through passage with an inwardly extending peripheral rib providing a first pair of stops for engagement of one thereof with the abutments of said spade connector element to limit forward move ment of said element relative to said sleeve, and a second pair of stops for engagement of one thereof with the struck out end of said spade connector tang to limit rearward movement thereof after forward movement of said spade connector element has moved said tang end past said second stops, a socket connector element comprising a one-piece member of sheet metal having a base with side flanges bent inwardly toward said base to provide spade connector engaging edges, a pair of abutments extending outwardly from said flanges adjacent the rear end thereof, an outwardly and rearwardly extending tang struck out of said base between the flanges adjacent the rear end thereof and extending in a direction away from said flanges, and a locking detent struck out of said base between the flanges forward of said tang and extending in the same direction as said flanges, said detent and said flanges cooperating with the side edges and one of said depressions in said spade connector element to lock said connector elements together, a hollow sleeve of insulating material for said socket connector element, said sleeve having a through passage with an inwardly extending peripheral rib providing a first pair of stops for engagement with the abutments of said socket connector element to limit forward movement of said element relative to said sleeve, and a second pair of stops for engagement of one thereof with the struck out end of said socket connector tang to limit rearward movement thereof after forward movement of said socket connector element has moved said tang end past said second stop, said sleeves being releasably retained with their forward ends adjacent one another by interlocking of said connector elements, with the forward ends of one of said hollow sleeves being positioned within the forward end of the other of said sleeves, to provide an insulated housing for the interlocked metal connector elements.

5. A socket connector element comprising a one-piece member of sheet metal having a base with side flanges bent inwardly toward said base to provide spade connector engagin edges, a pair of abutments extending outwardly from flanges adjacent the rear end thereof, an outwardly and rearwardly extending tang struck out of said base between the flanges adjacent the rear end thereof and extending in a direction away from said flanges, and a locking detent struck out of said base between the flanges forward of said tang and extending in the same direction as said flanges.

6. An insulated electrical connector including a spade connector element comprising a flat metal strip having a pair of abutments extending outwardly from the side edges of said strip adjacent the rear end thereof, an outwardly and rearwardly extending tang struck out of said strip between the side edges adjacent the rear end thereof, and complementary locking depressions in each flat side thereof between the side edges forward of said tang, and a hollow sleeve of insulating material for said spade connector element, said sleeve having a through passage with an inwardly extending peripheral rib providing a first pair of stops for engagement with the abutments of said spade connector element to limit forward movement of said element relative to said sleeve, and a second pair of stops for engagement of one thereof with the struck out end of said spade connector tang to limit rearward movement thereof after forward movement of said spade connector element has moved said tang end past said second stops to releasably mount said spade connector element within said hollow sleeve.

7. An insulated electrical connector including a socket connector element comprising a one-piece member of sheet metal having a base with side flanges bent inwardly toward said base to provide spade connector engaging edges, a pair of abutments extending outwardly from said flanges adjacent the rear end thereof, an outwardly and rearwardly extending tang struck out of said base between the flanges adjacent the rear end thereof and extending in a direction away from said flanges, and a locking detent struck out of said base between the flanges forward of said tang and extending in the same direction as said flanges, and a hollow sleeve of insulating material for said socket connector element, said sleeve having a through passage with an inwardly extending peripheral rib providing a first pair of stops for engagement with the abutments of said socket connector element to limit forward movement of said element relative to said sleeve, and a second pair of stops for engagement of one thereof with the struck out end of said socket connector tang to limit rearward movement thereof after forward movement of said socket connector element has moved said tang end past said second stop to releasably mount said socket connector element within said hollow sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

